Back in February, the folk-rock band, The Lumineers, released their fifth studio album entitled Automatic. The founding members, Welsey Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites, first started performing and writing together in 2005, and while the members of the band have grown and changed throughout the years, their partnership has remained constant. Since 2012 and the release of their first self-titled album, the band has been known for hits such as “Ho Hey”, “Cleopatra”, and “Stubborn Love”. Evoking images of dappled sunlit, twisting country lanes, warm golden evenings, flowing hair with barefoot frolicking and wild abandon. However, their most recent album, while sustaining the ballad style writing, instead summons a more searching and melancholic tone. Previous works have explored a range of emotions, but there is consistency in the reflective mood within Automatic’s lyrics as it explores boredom and overstimulation’s fight for their place in our modern-day lives.
The album’s opening track “Same Old Song” welcomes the listener with fast-paced, persistent drumming, creating the feeling of a nervous heartbeat. The lyrics then come in, and the song explores the idea of being unable to escape from your troubling thoughts, an endless cycle of hope and disillusionment. Shultz sings “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I killed the mood so naturally”, and the contrast between the energy of the drum’s rhythm and the helplessness of the lyrics draws the listener in.
The chorus’s repetition of “Same old song, we sing the same old song, we sing the same old, same sad song” brings a new perspective and suggests that the song is also about generational hurt. This feeling of hurt and worry has been sung about throughout history, and there is no answer to the worries their lyrics raise. While their latest album explores new sonic and thematic terrain, their music’s beautiful, uncomplicated feel remains constant.
Fraites himself has said, “we’re not reinventing the wheel or doing anything that different, the songs are super simple. The ideas themselves are very simple ideas. Anyone who can play an instrument can play a Lumineers song”.
This allows their music to be universally accessible, and Automatic is one of The Lumineers’ most raw and honest records. Fraites has noted that this album has “a palpable sense of connection between Wes and me. There’s lots of love on this record. I can’t wait to tour behind it”. Yes, a new album also welcomes a new tour! The shows kicked off earlier this month and are expected to end in October later this year.
However, most excitingly, the band will be performing in Cardiff at the Utilita Arena on May 22nd. This will be a wonderful opportunity, and if you are quick, tickets still might be available from their website. The Lumineers have been called one of the world’s top touring bands, and their showmanship and ability to connect with their audiences even in bustling arenas is truly captivating.
This tour promises to be an amazing experience to hear Automatic live and a chance to connect, sing, and dance to all their past beloved music, too.